The Australian Government has introduced a whole-of-government approach to recruitment advertising. These guidelines took affect from 1 July 2009 and apply to all government agencies/department subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

I was surprised by one of the statement.... "colour cannot be used for recruitment advertisements placed in print media". Most of the print publications will offer colour upgrades for free! Will they accept the offer, or turn down the opportunity to stand out from the crowd?

Feel free to join in on the conversation. All comments are moderated before publishing. Comments posted by subscribers don't necessarily reflect the views of Recruitment Directory.

JohnnyRotten (10:35am Tuesday 14 July 2009)

As a recruitment advertising agency exec, I can probably help answer some of these questions.

These guidelines are designed to stop individual agencies splashing huge amounts of cash for, say, one position. The problem comes in when the same guidelines apply for an agency with 20-30 available positions (they have to apply separately to explain that this is a 'campaign' and therefore exempt).

The guidelines are restrictive because, as you say, colour often is offered for free and, yes, we do have to turn it down as a result.

As for the APS website, I'm confused as to how this fits in to the picture. We use it for our campaigns, but, as it receives traffic from public sector job-seekers, the application numbers are generally quite low, and you end up fishing from the same pool as every other agency. Niche media placement is much more effective.

I'd struggle to understand why your article states that this might slow down proactive advertising campaigns. Size and colour restrictions force us to be more creative in our approach - seeking out new media platforms, and ways of doing things to reach our targets. Colour doesn't per se mean something is more creative or more proactive than something in black and white.

capitaljobs (12:43pm Tuesday 14 July 2009)

I've just posted this comment on Recruitment 2.0 too:

I think that these new guidelines are fantastic - it's about time that the bean counters at Finance curbed the government's rampant spending on print advertising.

It really gets my goat to see APS3 jobs advertised in full colour in the Early General News sections of newspapers - these ads typically cost upwards of $1500 (per newspaper), yet the salary for the vacant position is in the order of $40K. How can that be cost effective??

Hopefully these stricter guidelines will provide an impetus for increased use of online offerings, where the value proposition is much more apparent.

Clayton Wehner
CapitalJobs.com.au
http://www.capitaljobs.com.au

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Some people are very anal about whether URLs should have a www prefix or not. I personally think domains look naked without them, and there is a reason why we use the www in the first place.

It really surprises me how often typing in a domain name without the www in front, results in one of the following errors

Page Load Error. The browser could not find the host server for the provided address.

Directory Listing Denied

Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)

Not everyone enters the www when they type in a domain. Some leave it out, while others always type it in. Try it with your own website. How many visitors (clients & candidates) are you losing as a result of this error?

By forcing visitors and search engines to your preferred domain, you can guarantee that you won’t end up with duplicate results or different page ranks for your domain with or without the www.

It all depends on how your website host or server administrator has decided to set this up, but usually your domain will work with or without the www.

If you do make your website accessible with and without www, make sure that you use one as your “main” solution. For instance, if people go to “without www”, redirect them to “with www” (or vice versa).

This way you won’t run into cookie trouble for instance, with people having a cookie on www, returning the next day to without www and finding their cookie is gone (for cookies, these are two different domains).Reasons to include www

It helps identify a URL as a web address, especially if the domain extension is other than a .com one

The idea of mashing together Google Maps with a job search has been around since early 2006. But does it help a job seeker with their job search?

Maps are functional if used correctly. They provide information and allow the job seeker to interact with the website.

More and more workers want to work closer to home and using maps (or proximity based searches) allows the job seeker to map distance, travel routes, public transport, amenities etc. What about geographically constrained job seekers?

There are lots of things to take into account when choosing which Recruitment Agency you should use. In response to the 10 Things We Hate About Recruitment Companies article, let's take a look at why job seekers should use a Recruitment Agency.

Looking for a job can be a time consuming and frustrating experience... Searching for jobs, telephone interviews, responding to selection criteria, in-person interviews, psychometric profiles, waiting for a call that sometimes doesn't arrive can all add up to stress, that makes it hard to focus and find that job you want!

Job seekers need to realise that in this current environment; it will take longer to find the job you want. Recruiters are currently experiencing a candidate overflow where supply of labour is greater than the demand in most industries.

Recruitment consultants know what is happening in the marketplace - who is hiring, what projects are coming up, who to contact, etc.

Using a recruitment agency allows you to save time - the recruitment agency will do a lot of the leg work for you and this will allow you to do some of the other things that you want or need to get done.

You will be given access to jobs that you might not find on the open market - this will help increase your chances of gaining employment.

You have people working to get you a job with many contacts in the field that you are looking to get into - a recommendation can speak volumes and get you further in the door than a speculative resume.

Your resume will be submitted to a range of jobs including some that you might not have considered - the agency might be able to open up a new direction for you and encourage you to go for a number of positions that you are capable of doing.

The agency might advise you a provide you with suggestions on how to emphasise you resume and any key elements you wish to highlight - the agencies do this full time so take the time to ask them for advice or help.

Independent Recruitment Agencies or large multi-location chain

Both have their pros and cons. You're much more likely to get a more personal and better quality of service from a smaller recruitment agency than you are from a large chain, but the quality of roles handled by the smaller agency may be less high profile.

This is not always the case but large employers generally use one (or more) recruitment agencies to handle their affairs, and they tend to be larger agencies because it is believed they attract better candidates. Also margins are usually lower - cost effective.

Smaller agencies will remain in more regular contact with you, which makes you feel more like a valued customer than just another number.

Recruitment Consultants

It's important that you trust the person who represents you at the recruitment agency you choose. This is the person who could potentially help you land your dream role so you need to feel comfortable in their company. You need to be up front and honest with them and that they have your best interests at heart.

Usually a recruitment agency will have one consultant who specialises in recruiting for a certain sector, unless it's a very big organisation in which case they may have more than one, so if you don't feel happy dealing with the consultant who is assigned to you it may be better to go elsewhere.

You need to feel comfortable with the consultant you deal with. Also they are competent, understand the kind of positions that you are looking for and able to offer you those kinds of roles.

Of course a lot of people aren't fussy and register with every recruitment company they come across. The problem with this choice of tactic is that it can lead to your resume being submitted to the same company multiple times, which reflects badly on you and the agencies being employed by the recruiting client.

A client will often enlist the services of a number of recruitment agencies/consultants to find them candidates, with the successful provider winning the $$ commission. This is where problems of duplication can arise.

Whichever type of agency you choose, make sure that they have a good range of jobs available, so that you can always be sure of securing employment. Things are tough at the moment, which means that there are fewer jobs around, so don't end up picking a recruitment agency that is lazy about getting new positions in: you want one that really will work on your behalf.

A recruitment agency should also look after you and check that everything is going OK, so again, you need to feel able to communicate with them and as if you can easily establish a trusting relationship. Sometimes it can help to choose an agency that has been around for some time and so you can be sure they certainly know the ropes.

I wanted to provide this article from a job seekers point of view. Like it or not, recruitment companies are firmly entrenched as part of the hiring landscape. However, all the evidence collected by Even It Up! seems to point to the fact that they notoriously over-promise and under-deliver?

How can we improve our standards, so that web sites/blog like Even It Up! do not have to exist? The 10 Things We Hate About Recruitment Companies include...

Feel free to join in on the conversation. All comments are moderated before publishing. Comments posted by subscribers don't necessarily reflect the views of Recruitment Directory.

PhilRoles (4:07pm Friday 10 July 2009)

Another fair and balanced presentation from Diane Lee!

I don't think many recruiters would argue that there are plenty of unethical/sub-par Consultants in the market, but I would think that someone with as much "communication" experience as Diane would be capable of presenting something a little less bias.

I'd like to see some more from Diane based on fact, not what she assumes is happening behind doors she's never seen the other side of.

Some quotes from Diane on her forum:

"When I was looking for a job, I got sick of hearing "we are really impressed with you and your qualifications, but we have given the job to someone else." I always asked whether that person had my qualifications,and invariably, the answer was "No". What I figured out was that I knew too much and had done too much, and the organisation was thinking "How the hell are we going to manage her?" instead of "Wow! What an asset this person is to our business!". Trust me, this would never happen if businesses were run like elite sporting teams (which always recognise talent and use it!). I ended up getting a job teaching... oh, and starting Even It Up!"

"I'm was a HD Masters student, and thought that showing how bright I was would be a way to stand out so I would be offered an interview. I couldn't be more wrong. Indviduals who are recruiting for companies generally don't want the best and brightest, because it shows them up and makes them feel insecure in their job... sadly, it's not about what's best for the organisation..."

Delusions of grandeur?

evenitup (7:49pm Monday 13 July 2009)

I was always taught that in business, one should play the ball not the man (or in this case woman!). Getting personal does not really add to the argument, and in fact detracts from it, and shows that you actually have no argument!

And you are right on two counts! I am biased: towards jobseekers! And I have not worked in recruitment! But I have been at the receiving end of some very unethical and unprofessional behaviour from both recruitment companies and direct employers alike. I think that more than qualifies me to have an opinion on recruitment practices.

I also notice that you have only chosen to quote me from the Forums. You have not bothered to quote other members. The reason you haven't done this is that you would paint a very different picture, and one that supports what I am saying.

Phil, your own bias is showing! And you accuse me of not presenting a balanced view! Now what do they say about pots calling kettles black...?!

PhilRoles (11:25am Friday 17 July 2009)

We're not in business together, Dianne.

What evidence do you have that any of these things actually happen? "This is a psychological technique that consultants use to build your hopes and leave you hanging" - are they really that devious? Gatekeeper status? Is it really that strange for a business to have some kind of receptionist?

"You will be placed on a black list". Not, you may be placed on a black list? You are entitled to an opinion, but I would expect someone of your experience to know the difference between suggesting that something does happen in some instances, and implying that something will happen in all instances.

I have chosen not to quote any of the 61 other posts on your forums because I didn't think any of them were relevant to the point I was trying to make by quoting yours, that you seem to genuinely believe that the reason you weren't getting jobs is because you "knew too much".

evenitup (7:15pm Sunday 26 July 2009)

I can see that this could degenerate into a slanging match, so in the interests of being the better person won't dignify this comment with a response. Suffice to say that other readers are more than welcome to login to Even It Up! Forums and read what other members have to say.

If you do that, I'm pretty sure that the comments will more than adequately backup my arguments.

Dean (10:29pm Wednesday 17 February 2010)

My experience of recruitment agencies is that it’s hit and miss.

You need to register with as many as possible to whittle it down to 2 or 3 that are any good. They have the ability to make peoples career dreams come true or shatter some ones fragile ego.

Some of the most talented people you can meet work for high profile agencies. At times the training is excellent, work loads can be testing and deadlines tight. Don’t get me wrong. There are some one man bands out there but the same can be said for any line of work.

If you are interested in finding out more please contact me on:
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/deancousin
Or follow me on:
http://twitter.com/deancousin

Amelia (9:18am Saturday 06 March 2010)

I don't think this is biased. In my experience it rings true. I'm a teacher. Teaching recruitment consultants are not teachers but sales people. Their main objective is to get 'warm bodies in front of classrooms' regardless of the suitibility of the teacher for the school. They earn commission foreach day they place a teacher in front of the class. This commission is taken out of the teachers award wage !!!!

I like to find my own work but schools increasingly use agencies as they are more 'convenient'. I care about the schools I work in and the children I teach even if just as a CRT. I value the relationship I build with a school on my own.In my experience teaching agencies do not value this relationship and send me wherever is most 'convenient'

I care very much about who stands in front of my daughter's class when her teacher is sick. I warn all schools to not place this important job in the hands of commission hungry teacher recruitment agencies!

Poo on U (10:16am Thursday 22 March 2012)

Occassionaly it is true that there is a time when a company missed my cv but then they comment us ""we are really impressed with you and your qualifications, but we have given the job to someone else.". But it is not always true. To me if I apply a job and get turned down with that comment. I will not go back to the agent (particularly the consultant) and move on. They know what they are missing. I am not depend on the recruiter to find a job but depend on God the provider. At this moment, I have earned the most salary I have in the past 24 years of my career working with an excellent company.

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If you think your website is safe, think again. Over the weekend 6 job sites were hacked and defaced. One of the first things that comes to my mind when I see that horrible “You’ve been hacked” message is… I wonder what information has been stolen? passwords, contact details, resumes, credit card/banking details, etc.

NOTE: The job sites affected have NO connection to Recruitment Directory. This blog post is intended as general advice.

First thing, is to not take it personally. Contact your hosting provider & webmaster, if you have one. Often times they can handle most of the technical heavy lifting for you. Lots of webmasters use shared hosting, which can make it difficult to do some of the things listed below.

Getting your site off-line

Turn your site off, or take your site off-line.

If you can't take it off-line, return a 503 status code to prevent it from being crawled by search engines

Do you have a damage control plan? Immediately put this into action and contact the relevant authorities.

It's a good idea to figure out exactly what the hacker was after. Were they looking for sensitive information? Did they want to gain control of your site for other purposes?

Try and gather as much information as you can. See if the host can give you a log showing all the FTP connections that were made to your account. You can use those to see if it was even an FTP connection that was used to make the change and possibly get an IP address

Determine the scope of the problem. Do you have other sites that may be affected?

If you're using a prepackaged software scripts like Wordpress, Drupal, or anything else that you didn't code there may be vulnerabilities in upload code that allows for this sort of modification. If your job site is custom built, double check any places where you allow users to upload resumes/files or modify existing files

Recovery

The absolute best thing to do here is a complete reinstall. It's the only way to be completely sure you've removed everything the hacker may have done

After a fresh re-installation, use the latest backup you have to restore your site. Don't forget to make sure the backup is clean and free of hacked content too

Patch any software packages to the latest version. This includes things such as weblog platforms, content management systems, or any other type of third-party software installed

Actively monitoring your sites for blacklists, malware, defacements, etc. We are currently trying out an online tool called Sucuri

Has the news spread to your clients, media, etc? Prepare a short statement saying you are aware of the issue and currently working to resolve the problem. It is important to be honest and upfront as hackers will post their accomplishments on the web.

If you're a Google Webmaster Tools user, sign in to your account. If your site was flagged as having malware, request a review to determine whether your site is clean. If you used the URL removal tool on URLs which you do want in the index, request that Webmaster Tools re-include your content by revoking the removal

Do you track where your candidates have come from? If you are using some sort of application tracking system (ATS) in your recruitment process; more than likely you have the ability to automatically track where the candidate has come from.

"Having spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), HR Executives wrongly assume that the sourcing data has some resemblance to reality. Yet 5 out of 6 Candidates enter inaccurate data."

We all know it is very important to collect and generate periodic reports comparing the performance of our marketing channels. But with the evolution/improvements in technology why do I have the feeling that since the Oct 2006 survey, not much has changed?

Wherever possible, you should use URL “tracking tags” to correctly track the referral source. The predominately US based ATS Report Card compares various ATS providers.

There can be many other reasons that candidates do not provide the correct source when asked:

They don't remember (some ATS’s ask "where did you hear about this job" on the tenth page of the application) and some companies rely on information gathered during an interview, which can be several weeks later.

Some ATS's don't even have the site in their drop-down list. One major corporation listed the board JobsInLogistics.com as "Jobs and Logic" for months before the recruiter persuaded the ATS to make the necessary change. It was subsequently changed to Jobs in Logic.

Some ATS's have a confusing drop-down list with dozens or even hundreds of sources, sometimes not even in alphabetical order.

Some ATS's require a primary drop-down list followed by a secondary drop-down list, making it very difficult for the candidate to even find the site they were last on.

Some ATS's expect the candidate to type in their source - the first instinct for many candidates is to type in "internet" or "online", not a website name.

As the completion of the drop-down box is not mandatory on some ATS, the candidate may simply skip this question.

Many candidates will assume their "source" was where they started (such as Google, Yahoo, MSN)

Some candidates may search on multiple job boards and not remember which one they were just on last.

Some candidates do not want to reveal their source, so will often opt to choose no source or friend/associate, etc.

Some candidates want to pander favor by appearing dedicated to the company. So they choose the corporate name. After all this is where they are applying on the ATS.

As of the 1st of July 2009 a number of changes have come into effect relating to employment under the new Fair Work Regulations. The following blog post has been provided by LawLive.

One of the main changes for Small Businesses, is the change to the unfair dismissal laws. Previously Employers with fewer than 100 Employees were exempt from unfair dismissal laws, that has now changed and all Employers are now required to comply with unfair dismissal laws.

Within the unfair dismissal system, special arrangements apply for businesses with less than 15 "full-time equivalent" employees. Compared with larger businesses, smaller business receive;

Doubling of the minimum employment period from six to 12 months, during which time employees cannot take a claim for unfair dismissal, and

A short Fair Dismissal Code, which if followed by the business owner will ensure a dismissal is not unfair

This Fair Dismissal Code for Small Businesses requires the employer to give the employee a valid reason based of the employee's conduct or capacity to do the job, why the employee is at risk of being dismissed and a reasonable chance to rectify the problem.

By law, multiple notices are not required.

An important change to unfair dismissal is in the wording of the requirements for businesses that have had an unfair dismissal case bought against them, the fair dismissal code previously advised that an employer 'may be required to produce evidence of compliance', the code has been amended to now read than employer 'will be required to provide evidence'. Although a seemingly small change, it can have great ramifications.

To help avoid issues in dealing with unfair dismissal, it is important that all warnings be properly documented, and copies of any warnings given to employees are stored in their employee file. LawLive has a range of Warning Notices and Termination Notices available for these situations.

A fact sheet released by the Australian Government, includes further information on the changes to "Fair Dismissal" as well as a checklist to ensure that businesses comply with fair dismissal regulations.

LawLive helps you minimize your companies risks by getting all the legal documents your business requires. Cut down your legal costs by using LawLive's contracts & documents before seeing your Lawyer. All LawLive's contracts & documents are drafted by leading legal professionals, which ensures the professional quality of our contracts & documents.

When Frank the Foreman shouts, you must do exactly what he says within the set amount of time (in time with the music). Shut Up and Get Back to Work is an interactive application designed for the iphone. It has four commands - you must pinch, slide, press or swipe the appropriate controls in the correct order Frank tells you.

The game is very simple. But as it speeds up, Frank will mix up the sequence with different commands “Slide it!" and colors "Blue".

Overall, the games design, graphics and layout are very good. Kudos on the video and website!